CASE STUDY: MARIUS VERMAAK, GENERAL MANAGER AT A BAXTERSTOREY SITE


Age 25 Education Three A Levels (maths, physics, IT); international hospitality management MSc 2:1 at Oxford Brookes University


Marius Vermaak is now entering his third year with BaxterStorey, having studied international hospitality management at Oxford Brookes University and graduating with a 2:1. “And what a journey it’s been,” he says.


“My first insight into management was on the BaxterStorey graduate programme, where I was based in multiple sites in Canary Wharf. After four months, I then moved onto a large-scale law firm, working in hospitality and fine dining. I was lucky enough to get involved in mobilising two flagship locations, which then led to managing one of the smaller sites during maternity cover.” Vermaak describes the graduate


programme as an amazing career development opportunity. “From customer service skills and finance to people management and mentoring, there were so many training courses which taught me the invaluable skills I need in my role today,” he says. “I was lucky enough to receive one-to-one mentoring from my operations manager, where we constructed a detailed career progression programme that allowed me to address areas of development and helped manage my team effectively.” In June 2017, Vermaak took the position of


our undergraduate and postgraduate recruit- ment activities to develop stronger future pipelines [of undergraduates] and a strong management development programme [for post-graduates]. We have developed strong partnerships with educational institutions to ensure we remain an employer of choice among hospitality graduates – offering junior management opportunities.”


Whichever hospitality sector you work in,


you’ll find plenty of employers ratcheting up their training to develop middle managers. Over the past year, for example, foodservice company BaxterStorey has realigned all of its supervisory and future talent programmes – such as its leadership academy level four – in line with the apprenticeship levy. People director Maureen Sandbach explains: “We introduced our Advanced Management Journey programme over the last seven years and have since realigned it to the apprenticeship standards. In addi- tion, we modified the course from what was previously a project course to an 18-month


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management development programme, highlighting our future stars.”


The big question is: what do you need to do, as an ambitious middle manager, to per- suade your employer to direct time and invest- ment in your career?


“They will naturally stand out if they’ve got personality, ambition and the natural approach to develop their own career,” says Sandbach. “It’s simple; to stand out you need to do a great job and do it consistently – really go that extra mile. Not for self-gratification or self-promotion, but knowing it’s the right thing for the business.”


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The key to advancement is the attitude and willingness someone brings to the work,


coupled with a strong desire to succeed, achieve and advance


Simon Coulson, Hotel Café Royal


deputy general manager at a contract in central London and was responsible for managing the restaurant and coffee bar, which proved to be a strong development opportunity. “I helped re-design the retail offer and


learned how to lead a team to deliver great food and excellent service. I was also responsible for the health and safety training of the team and launched multiple customer engagement programmes and food concepts,” he says. His success led to him recently being


promoted to general manager at the same site, responsible for ensuring the contract is delivered within the budget and expectation of the client. “The best part of my job is working alongside


my talented team of chefs to create new and exciting recipes for our customers to enjoy,” says Vermaak. “Most recently, we launched our Pimm’s gateau and Earl Grey shortbread, which was a hit with our customers.” Looking ahead, Vermaak’s ambition is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the financial side of the business. “I love to be challenged and I know the opportunities available to me at BaxterStorey will ensure I am constantly developing,” he says.


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